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What to Expect in a Neurofeedback Therapy Program

Mental health conditions such as depression, substance use disorder, and bipolar disorders are treatable through a variety of behavioral and holistic therapies. One form of therapy that is gaining in popularity is neurofeedback therapy, where patients can see their brain activity in real-time and learn how to control it. Your neurofeedback therapy program expectations will vary depending on your mindset about newer technologies and your natural ability to control your thoughts and emotions. A neurofeedback therapy program in Denver, Colorado can treat a number of mental health disorders in a non-invasive, holistic way.

At Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery, we help men and women who are struggling with addiction or other mental health concerns through our treatment facility in Thornton, CO. We use a combination of medication-assisted treatment and various therapy programs to give patients the greatest chances of reaching their recovery goals. If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction or other mental health disorders, reach out to our friendly staff today by calling 833.448.0127 for more information about our neurofeedback therapy program in Denver, CO.

What Is Neurofeedback Therapy?

Neurofeedback therapy focuses on changing the brain’s response patterns to certain stimuli. It shows patients how they can change their thinking patterns when feeling depressed or tempted by drugs or alcohol. It is a non-invasive procedure where electrodes are placed on a patient’s head so they can see their brainwaves in real-time and see how changing their thoughts affects the patterns. With time and practice, patients learn how to change their thoughts before it causes any negative behavior.

Neurofeedback therapy can reduce the symptoms of many mental health illnesses, including:

  • Obsessive-compulsive disorder
  • ADHD
  • Panic attacks
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Addiction

At Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery, we use a wide range of therapies to give our patients the greatest chance of success. When you first arrive, we will go over your treatment program details, including your neurofeedback therapy program expectations and any other questions you may have about what neurofeedback therapy is.

Neurofeedback Therapy Program Expectations

Neurofeedback therapy has shown to be very promising in treating a number of mental health disorders and giving patients confidence in managing their symptoms. The real-time feedback they see can go a long way toward helping them realize their recovery goals.

Just some of what you can expect from your neurofeedback therapy program include:

  • Goal setting – Therapists will discuss the neurofeedback procedure and how it works while setting specific goals for the program. You will sit in a relaxing and comfortable room with electrodes attached to your head in a non-invasive way.
  • Brainwave activity – You will sit or lay down and watch a video, listen to music, or play a video game while your therapists measure your brain activity to get a baseline.
  • Real-time feedback – Patients will see their brain waves while participating in the activity and work on fine-tuning their thinking patterns to achieve the desired results. When they achieve them, they are rewarded based on the stimuli that work best for them.
  • Practice makes perfect – Each patient is different in how they respond to neurofeedback therapy, and the time it takes to reach their goals will vary. Sessions typically last for 60 minutes and can take up to 20 sessions.

Find Neurofeedback Therapy at Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery

At Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery, our outpatient treatment programs include behavioral and holistic therapy along with neurofeedback therapy for a more effective treatment experience. We perform a complete evaluation of your physical and mental health along with the severity of your addiction to determine the best course of action to help you achieve your recovery goals.

There is no need to struggle with depression or other mental health disorders alone. Call 833.448.0127 or fill out our online form today to begin your journey toward a healthier future.

Preparing for Neurofeedback Therapy

Neurofeedback therapy is a relatively new, non-invasive treatment option for men and women struggling with depression, anxiety, or other mental health disorders. Preparing for neurofeedback therapy can help you understand what to expect from your treatment and show you how you can change your negative thoughts and feelings. Colorado neurofeedback therapy gives patients a safe and effective treatment option that can greatly improve their mental health.

At Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery, we help men and women struggling with social anxiety, PTSD, or other mental health illness. Our certified therapists use neurofeedback therapy along with behavioral therapies and medication-assisted treatment to give patients the best chances of living healthy and productive lives. Call 833.448.0127 or fill out our online form today to learn what to expect in neurofeedback therapy at our outpatient treatment facility.

What Is Neurofeedback Therapy?

Neurofeedback therapy, or EEG biofeedback, is a form of therapy that shows patients how they can develop healthier brain activity. It can help change the way you think and feel and make fundamental changes in how your brain perceives different situations. If going out with friends causes you to feel anxious and worried, neurofeedback therapy changes the way your brain reacts to the situation so that you will no longer feel anxious when going out.

The most common forms of neurofeedback therapy include:

  • Frequency/Power Neurofeedback
  • Slow cortical potential neurofeedback (SCP-NF)
  • Low-energy neurofeedback system (LENS)
  • Hemoencephalography neurofeedback
  • Live Z-Score neurofeedback
  • Low-resolution electromagnetic tomography (LORE-TA)
  • Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)

At Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery, our therapists have experience with neurofeedback therapy and can help you prepare for neurofeedback therapy. They will discuss each step with you and answer any questions before beginning your therapy to ease any concerns you may have.

Preparing for Neurofeedback Therapy

Neurofeedback therapy is non-invasive and does not require any medication. It is a holistic form of therapy that uses technology to look at how your negative thoughts and emotions affect your brain and how you can improve your brain patterns.

Here is a brief look at what to expect in neurofeedback therapy:

  • Before starting your neurofeedback therapy, therapists will discuss your mental health issues and create a game plan for reaching your recovery goals.
  • During your first session, sensors are placed around your head to display your brainwaves on a monitor. They will get a baseline of your brain’s activity while watching a movie, playing a video game, or doing other activities. They will use this baseline to monitor your progress and go over what each brain wave represents.
  • During therapy, you will participate in an activity while your therapist watches your brain waves. When there is a positive change in the pattern, you are rewarded. As you continue to make positive changes and receive more rewards, you will create new brain waves that will overwrite your negative ones. This is called neuroplasticity.
  • You will continue neurofeedback therapy for as long as necessary to reduce your negative thoughts and habits. A typical program can consist of up to 30 to 40 sessions, depending on your individual needs.

Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery Offers Neurofeedback Therapy to Benefit Your Recovery

What is neurofeedback therapy? At Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery, we help men and women struggling with depression or other mental health disorders by showing them how they have the power to change their brain patterns. Neurofeedback is just one type of therapy that we use to aid in our patient’s mental health recovery. The therapies we offer include:

  • Cognitive-behavioral therapy
  • Dialectical behavior therapy
  • Family therapy
  • Group and individual therapy
  • Case management
  • Peer support

Call 833.448.0127 or fill out our online contact form today to see how our neurofeedback therapy can improve your mental health symptoms.

5 Benefits of Neurofeedback Therapy

Modern science has provided effective ways to treat a variety of mental health concerns that affect millions of children, teens, and adults every year. Neurofeedback therapy is a relatively new form of therapy that promotes neuroplasticity to create new brain patterns. The benefits of neurofeedback therapy are evident in the patients who were able to replace their negative thinking with new, healthy brain patterns that promote a healthy state of mind. A neurofeedback therapy program offers a non-invasive, holistic treatment program for patients struggling with depression, past traumas, or other anxiety disorders.

At Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery, our certified therapists have experience with neurofeedback therapy and other types of behavioral therapies. We offer a full range of beneficial therapies through our private outpatient treatment facility in Colorado. We base our treatment programs on each patient’s unique symptoms to form a tailored treatment plan that addresses their needs and recovery goals. Fill out our online form or call 833.448.0127 today to speak with our knowledgeable staff about the benefits of neurofeedback therapy.

What Is Neurofeedback Therapy?

Neurofeedback therapy is a new form of cognitive therapy that directly affects the brain wave patterns of patients. It is a holistic form of therapy that is non-invasive and does not require medication. Sensors are placed on the patient’s head, and a monitor will show the different brainwave patterns in real-time. Therapists and patients can see their brainwave activity and how it changes while watching a movie, playing a video game, or other mentally engaging activities.

Some of the mental health concerns that neurofeedback therapy can benefit include:

  • Depression
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
  • Autism spectrum disorder
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Insomnia
  • Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

What is neurofeedback therapy? At Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery, our patients see how their positive thoughts affect their existing brain patterns and receive a reward when they make a positive change. Neurofeedback therapy benefits are very helpful for patients to realize the power they have within them to change.

Five Benefits of Neurofeedback Therapy

Neurofeedback therapy benefits include promoting a healthier state of mind with fewer negative thoughts and behaviors that can interfere with a patient’s recovery. It uses positive rewards whenever a patient has a healthy response that replaces any negative thoughts or brain patterns. Over time, the healthy brain patterns will overwrite the negative ones.

Here are five benefits of neurofeedback therapy:

  1. Understanding how neurofeedback works – Therapists will go over the neurofeedback process and explain how each brainwave pattern can change depending on their mood.
  2. Real-time feedback – Patients will see their brain waves on a monitor and see them change in real-time. This can help see how their negativity affects their brain and how they can change those patterns.
  3. A holistic therapy experience – Neurofeedback does not require any medication to participate in the program. It uses patients own thinking to replace their negative thoughts and behaviors.
  4. Discovering their internal strength – Having a visual reference to how your thoughts affect your brain waves can be very beneficial in helping patients realize the strength they have to make lifelong changes.
  5. Building healthy life-long habits – Neurofeedback therapy creates fundamental changes in the way patients view themselves and the world around them. They will find that it becomes easier to learn new habits as they replace their negative thoughts.

Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery Offers Effective Neurofeedback Therapy

At Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery, we help men and women struggling with addiction or other mental health conditions at our discreet outpatient treatment facility. We use neurofeedback therapy along with behavioral therapies and medication-assisted treatment for a well-rounded recovery experience.

Men and women in Colorado do not have to struggle with their mental health alone. Call 833.448.0127 today for more information about our outpatient treatment programs and how they can improve your mental health symptoms.

How Neurofeedback Therapy Helps with Mental Health Disorders

When you have a mental health disorder, it can feel like you don’t fit into your own skin. While talk therapy can be critical in helping individuals get to the core of their issues, some people may benefit from alternative forms of treatment like neurofeedback therapy. Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery provides clients with the opportunity to try neurofeedback therapy in the hopes that it provides relief from the symptoms of various mental health disorders.

What Is Neurofeedback Therapy?

The use of neurofeedback therapy goes all the way back to the early 20th century. It’s a non-invasive procedure that monitors brainwaves using equipment like an electroencephalograph (EEG) to record the brain’s electrical activity. Therapists rely on this data to find irregularities in different areas of the brain and find ways to encourage more positive activity in the organ.

Neurofeedback therapy helps clients by teaching them techniques that help them regulate and boost brain functions. The treatment has proven helpful in providing relief from the symptoms that accompany mental health disorders like ADHD, anxiety, and insomnia.

How Is Neurofeedback Therapy Applied?

Your therapist may recommend that you try neurofeedback therapy if you are dealing with conditions like:

  • Attention deficit disorders
  • Birth trauma
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Insomnia
  • PTSD
  • Brain injuries

It’s considered safe to use neurofeedback therapy on children, adolescents, and adults. Clients dealing with issues tied to cognitive loss because of aging can also benefit from the treatment. Neurofeedback therapy can be used in combination with more traditional forms of therapy as part of a client’s treatment plan.

How Does Neurofeedback Therapy Work?

Most people attend neurofeedback therapy once per week, and sessions typically last between 30 and 60 minutes. The number of sessions you attend depends on the severity of your condition. While the average length of treatment tends to be 20 weeks, your therapist may recommend that you attend more sessions per week if they think you might benefit.

Sessions typically start with you having electrodes attached to your scalp that let the EEG machine read and measure your current brain activities in real-time. There are four brain wave types measured during a biofeedback therapy session:

  • Beta waves — These brain waves move quickly at low amplitude. They measure alertness, arousal, and how much you are cognitively engaged.
  • Alpha waves — Alpha waves move slower than beta waves at a higher amplitude. They help therapists read your brain’s level of mental coordination, learning, non-arousal, and the mind-body connection.
  • Theta waves — Theta waves move slower than alpha waves at a higher amplitude. They show your brain’s memory levels, recognizing vivid imagery, subconscious information processing, and awareness of internal signals.
  • Delta waves — Delta waves move the slowest of all brain waves at the highest amplitude. They produce information around your deep sleep, healing, and regeneration.

What Are the Benefits of Neurofeedback Therapy?

While neurofeedback therapy can’t cure mental health disorders, it can help regulate how your brain works to help it function more healthily. Neurofeedback therapy helps your central nervous system reorganize and control different brainwave frequencies. The sessions also help your therapist pinpoint specific places in your brain producing the symptoms of your neurological issues. That information helps them come up with more targeted treatment.

Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery believes in providing clients with every tool necessary to help them overcome their issues. Neurofeedback therapy can help clients find relief from the symptoms of a mental health disorder that may be holding them back in life.

Other treatments and programs offered at Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery include:

You don’t have to continue living life the way you have. Contact Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery today at 833.448.0127 to get started on a new path.

VERIFY INSURANCE

Cortland Mathers-Suter

MSSA
Managing Partner

Cortland Mathers-Suter entered the treatment space after his own battle with addiction. He first worked as a peer mentor, before starting clinical work while completing his Masters of Science in social administration from Case Western Reserve University where he focused on policy and direct practice. Cortland moved to Colorado in 2015 to start his first addiction treatment program, AspenRidge Recovery. Under his tenure, AspenRidge Recovery became a two-location, nationally accredited organization. He has since spent the last two years researching and developing what is now Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery (CMAR).

According to Cortland, “Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery is the most important organization I have had the honor to help build. We’re offering a service that seeks to not only improve the lives of our patients but also evolve how we look at medication-assisted treatment in Colorado entirely. Most individuals receiving medication-assisted care only receive medication and urinalysis. Sure you can call that ‘treatment,’ but you can’t call that ‘recovery.’ Our model is about adding the missing recovery component, and thus affords an opportunity to achieve lasting change for each patient and the industry.”

Cortland and his treatment programs have received numerous honors. These include Colorado Business Magazine’s “GenXYZ” award, the 2020 “Titan 100” award, and his program AspenRidge Recovery was both a finalist for “Best Healthcare Company” and named in the “Company’s to Watch” by Colorado Business Magazine as well. He has been interviewed and quoted by numerous publications for his “addiction expertise”, including News Week, 5280 Magazine, the Denver Post, Elephant Journal, Colorado Biz Mag, and TheRecoverySource.org.

Tyler Whitman

Compliance/HR Administrator

Tyler is originally from Omaha, Nebraska. He worked in manufacturing administration for 18 years until he chose to pursue recovery from alcohol addiction, which led him to Chicago, Illinois. Since then, Tyler gained experience in retail, retail pharmacy, and healthcare as a vaccine coordinator for a local Colorado clinic. At the clinic, Tyler discovered that healthcare was the career change he had been looking for. His newfound passion for healthcare, combined with his lived experience with addiction, brought him to Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery as an Office Administrator.

In his free time, Tyler enjoys cooking, hiking, and skiing. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Health Services Administration from Regis University.

Simmeren Boanvala

BA
Outreach and Admissions Representative

Simmeren comes to CMAR after several years working admissions in inpatient psychiatry and addiction. A first-generation Colorado Native, Simmeren attended CU Boulder, where she earned a BA in psychology. Simmeren is currently completing her CAC III while working toward her master’s degree in marriage and family therapy.

According to Simmeren, “I joined CMAR because I believe in the quality and importance of the program whole-heartedly. My goal at CMAR is to guide each prospect who calls CMAR to find the best possible pathway to their recovery”. Simmeren currently lives in her hometown with her dog and cat.

Tyler Hale

Tyler Hale

Community Partnership Lead

Tyler Hale began his career in addiction treatment following a decades-long fight with his own substance abuse issues. Since achieving long-term recovery, Tyler has held various positions in direct care, client services, admissions and outreach departments at various addiction treatment organizations. From sober living program director to outreach director to admissions director at a drug and alcohol treatment program, Tyler consistently finds himself in leadership roles within the addiction treatment space.

Tyler is originally from Chicago, IL, where he graduated from Loyola University Chicago with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Bioethics. Thereafter, Tyler built a successful career in the tech industry, before finding sobriety and a subsequent calling to help others. Tyler joined the team at CMAR because he believes in the efficacy of comprehensive and patient-centered outpatient treatment. In his free time Tyler enjoys camping, hiking and spending time with his newborn son.

Kirstin O’Carroll

MSW
Engagement and Relations Director

Kirstin O’Carroll started her career in addiction and mental health services 23 years ago after graduating with an MSW from The Oho State University. Hired directly from an internship program, she served as a case manager and vocational specialist on a community treatment team in Columbus, OH, working to help severely mentally ill adults remain at home and in a community setting. Within the same organization, she later transitioned to clinical assessment and crisis intervention services with children, adolescents, and adults. Through these experiences, she learned the importance of providing empathetic, high-quality care and the need to “start wherever the patient is” with regard to finding the best treatment & solutions for her patients.

After seven years, Kirstin made a career change to diagnostic sales and worked for several Fortune 500 companies as an acute care sales specialist. She is delighted to return “home” to her passion for helping others and believes her new role as community engagement coordinator for CMAR is the perfect alignment of both her clinical and sales skills. When not promoting CMAR, she can be found reading, running, hiking, watching movies, and spending time with her husband Dennis and senior canine son Reggie.

Thomas Mazzarella

LAC
Primary Therapist

Thomas is a Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC) in the State of Colorado and a Licensed Addictions Specialist (LCAS) in the State of North Carolina with particular expertise in the treatment of chronic Substance Abuse Addiction and Dependency.

Thomas is dedicated to Individual, Couples, Family, and Group Counseling and Therapy for individuals with Substance Use and Mental Health issues and concerns.

James Jackman

CAS
Primary Therapist

James Jackman is a Certified Addiction Specialist and has been practicing addiction treatment in Colorado since 2015. James is pursuing his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Metropolitan State University Denver. James is a traditional CBT therapist specializing in childhood events that lead to adult addictions.

James has received special training in Family Systems, Inner Child, Maladaptive Schemas, and Adverse Childhood Experiences. James has worked in many treatment settings throughout his career and uses a client-centered treatment approach to help one recover from destructive patterns that facilitate addiction. In addition, James enjoys working with rescue animals and advocates for several local rescue organizations outside of work.

Outside of the office, Megan enjoys spending time with her two German Shepherds and her cat. She is passionate about fostering animals through various local rescues to find adoptive homes for dogs and cats in need.

Megan Hanekom

LPC, LAC, NCC
Therapist & Clinical Compliance Officer

Megan is a licensed counselor who has worked in various mental health and addiction treatment environments. She practices cognitive behavioral therapy and motivational interviewing and believes in pulling from various therapeutic approaches to best support each individual. Megan received her bachelor’s in psychology and Spanish from Concordia College. She relocated from North Dakota to Colorado where she earned a master’s in counseling psychology from the University of Denver.

Outside of the office, Megan enjoys spending time with her two German Shepherds and her cat. She is passionate about fostering animals through various local rescues to find adoptive homes for dogs and cats in need.

Maggie Coyle

MA, LPC
Primary Therapist

Maggie Coyle, MS, MA, LPP, LPCC has worked in the mental health and addictions counseling field for the past six years. She has extensive experience in working in the varying levels of mental health and addictions treatment as well as with diverse populations.

She practices cognitive-behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy as primary intervention methods. She has earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology as well as a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling both from Northern State University in Aberdeen, SD. She has also earned a master’s degree in addictions counseling from the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, SD. Maggie moved from South Dakota to Colorado in June 2020 and is excited to be a part of the CMAR team.

Michael Damioli

LCSW, CSAT
Clinical Director

Michael Damioli has been passionately working in the fields of addiction treatment and mental health since 2012. He has held a variety of different roles within the addiction recovery space, ranging from peer support to direct clinical practice. Notably, Michael was part of a leadership group that developed a small therapy practice into a nationally branded addiction treatment program, which offers multiple levels of care to recovering professionals. Michael is a strong believer in the family disease model of addiction and has focused much of his clinical work and training on supporting families impacted by addiction. He also specializes in treating individuals suffering from co-occurring chemical and process addictions.

Michael is honored to be leading the clinical care team at CMAR and believes that excellent clinical care begins by simply treating a patient with dignity and respect. Michael is a strong advocate for ethical reform within the addiction treatment field and is excited to promote CMAR as an ethical and thought leader throughout the treatment & recovery industry. Michael earned his master’s degree in social work from the University of Denver and is independently licensed as a clinical social worker with the state of Colorado. He holds an advanced post-graduate certificate in marriage and family therapy from the Denver Family Institute as well as an advanced certificate in sexual addiction counseling from the International Institute of Trauma and Addiction Professionals.

Dwight-Duncan

Dwight Duncan

Psy.D
Psychologist

Dr. Duncan was born and spent most of his early life in California. He received his doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Denver in 1987. He is a licensed psychologist as well as a licensed addiction counselor. He has had extensive training and experience throughout his professional career in medical psychology, mindfulness, integrated behavioral healthcare, and substance abuse.

Dr. Duncan is married and has one daughter, a neurologic physical therapist in Los Angeles.

Susan-Miget

Susan Miget

NP
Medical Provider

Susan has been in healthcare for more than 20 years. She was an ICU nurse for nine years, then returned to school and completed her master of nursing and family nurse practitioner degree at the University of Missouri-St. Louis in 2007. She practiced pain management for many years before developing her current passion for addiction treatment.

Susan has transitioned her practice to focus entirely on addiction treatment. She has worked in residential treatment, partial hospitalization (PHP), and intensive outpatient (IOP) programs. Susan most enjoys working with patients one-on-one in a private office to protect their confidentiality and ensure top-rate care. Knowing that addiction can affect anyone, anywhere, and at any time, Susan continues to strive to make treatment more accessible and confidential.

Whitney-Grant

Whitney Grant

MSN, FNP-BC, ARNP, RN, CPN
Medical Provider

Whitney Grant is an experienced family nurse practitioner with experience and expertise in medication-assisted treatment. Whitney earned her BSN at the University of Miami before moving on to achieve a master of science in nursing degree there as well, becoming a nurse practitioner immediately thereafter.

Whitney has since achieved board certification from the ANCC as a family nurse practitioner. After spending her entire formative and educational years in South Florida, Whitney moved to Denver in 2018 to pursue a career as a provider in family practice, sub-specializing in addictions medicine. Whitney has worked under the guidance of Dr. Nathaniel Moore, CMAR’s medical director, since moving to Denver.

Nathaniel Moore

MD
Medical Director

Dr. Nathan Moore is board-certified by the American Board of Family Medicine. Dr. Moore attended Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA for his undergraduate work and then attended Duke University School of Medicine and obtained his M.D. in 1995. Dr. Moore then came to Colorado and completed his residency in family medicine at the University of Colorado’s Family Medicine Program at Rose Medical Center.

Dr. Moore practices primarily at our Aurora location. He provides comprehensive family medicine services and has a special interest in addiction medicine, treating patients with opioid use disorder as well as alcohol addiction.

Dr. Moore is married with three children. He enjoys mountain biking, running, and golf.